MCN long-term test fleet 2024
Welcome to the 2024 MCN Long-term Test Fleet.
Over the course of the year we'll be putting serious miles on these 12 bikes to find out what they're like to live with.
Keep an eye out for written updates, videos and more. Click through to each individual page to get the latest updates as we pile on the miles.
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Check out previous MCN Fleets below:
It may not be perfect but the BMW R1300GS is so superbly effective that I would buy one! Here's why
05 March 2025 by
‘Would you buy one?’ It’s a question I get asked a lot, especially from bikers who have never spent any considerable time on a BMW R1300GS. And the answer has to be ‘yes’ – because for all that the...
I've loved my time with the Triumph Scrambler 400 X... but you have to use it properly
05 March 2025 by
And just like that, the Scrambler 400 X has gone back to Triumph and I’m left scratching my head, trying to make sense of the last year. There have been ups and downs during my time with the baby...
I racked up almost 5.5k miles across a Yamaha MT-09 and XSR900 GP in 2025 - Here's what I think
26 February 2025 by
After spending a year onboard Yamaha’s MT-09 and XSR900 GP, I’ve got to say that I’ve been left hugely impressed by the CP3 platform, in both a naked and a sporty guise. The funny thing is, both of...
My hits and misses after 12,820 miles riding a Harley-Davidson CVO Pan America in the UK last year
26 February 2025 by
I embraced the H-D CVO Pan America with an open mind and was rewarded with six months of trouble-free adventuring. From gravel passes in the Alps to sandy trails in Suffolk, a regular 100-mile commute...
More damage to my pride than the Honda Africa Twin after mishap brings unceremonious end to test
19 February 2025 by
“I’ve got it… I’ve got it! No I don’t…” crunch. As a seemingly permanent victim of the modern being-too-busy pandemic, I’m always in a rush. When I parked up the Honda Africa Twin on this otherwise...
Here are my top super-naked tyres for a big-mile year on the KTM 1390 SDR Evo, and the winner is...
19 February 2025 by
With more than 15,000 miles covered on my KTM Super Duke last year, I had a chance to test some of the best sports tyres around. Here’s what I’ve learned… Read more Update one: First...
This very un-Honda design flaw makes checking your CBR600RR oil level a two-person job
12 February 2025 by
When you think of Honda, chances are you think of well-considered design traits that cater for both form and function. It’s part of the reason why thousands of us buy them in the UK every...
Ducati’s single-cylinder motard doesn’t claim to be a tourer, but how does it fare on a road trip?
12 February 2025 by
Up until now, every road test of Ducati’s all-new 659cc single-cylinder supermoto has focused on its fun factor. From the first launch report to MCN’s head-to-head with closest rival the KTM 690 SMC...
Will bigger be better? Here's why my trusty Himalayan 450 could be more than a match for a 650 model
05 February 2025 by
As I’ve continued to clock miles on the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, spy shots of a larger-capacity twin-cylinder Himmy have emerged, sparking much debate. Could this bigger bike build on the...
During our 10k miles we've tackled cities, motorways, mountain passes and fords - it's done it all!
05 February 2025 by
As my time with the R12 nineT draws to a close, I thought it would be a great time to think about the bits of the BMW I loved, and what the bike could have done better. I’ve taken the R12 through...
I felt more confident on the brakes once I fitted aftermarket brake pads to the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX
29 January 2025 by
The GSX-S1000GX doesn’t really want for anything in the horsepower department thanks to the fact that it uses a derivative of the original Suzuki GSX-R1000 K5 inline four engine. With a claimed 149bhp...
I'm on my third Kawasaki long-term test bike of '24-'25 and it's my favourite one yet!
29 January 2025 by
You join me a few hundred miles into life with the third Kawasaki of the long-term test period, and it’s one I simply wasn’t expecting. You see, the firm have taken the high-tech Ninja 7 Hybrid away...
One of these things is not like the others... But it's not the Triumph Scrambler 400 X!
22 January 2025 by
The Scrambler 400 X has an immediate sibling in the form of the Speed 400 roadster, which shares its engine and frame but uses more road-biased suspension, wheels and tyres. But there are other spurs...
These are my defining reasons why you should consider buying an R1300GS, even if you don’t want one…
22 January 2025 by
There are those who have a BMW GS; those who want a GS (openly or secretly); and those who would rather remove their own eyes with a tea-stained spoon than be seen on one. But if you’ve never spent...
I joined a HOG chapter for a ride-out and here's why all H-D owners should consider joining
15 January 2025 by
No Harley-Davidson test would be complete without experiencing the social side of ownership, which is accessible through H-D’s in-house riding club, the Harley Owners Group (HOG). A year’s free...
I've spent the last six months riding a Yamaha XSR900 GP and these are the best and worst bits
15 January 2025 by
I’ve had the joy of riding the Yamaha XSR900 GP for just shy of six months and I’ve really come to love it. I was worried that its reasonably modest power figures might become dull, the lack of...
These are some of my favourite roads in Europe and they're ideal for a KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo
08 January 2025 by
I had some outstanding rides on my KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo in 2024. Riding Spa Francorchamps was pretty special, as was a tour of the Picos and Pyrenees with my mates, but the highlight has to be...
These five mods or upgrades make the Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports an even better bike!
08 January 2025 by
The last five months with Honda’s enormous adventure tourer have been a real joy. Few bikes I’ve ridden over the years have clicked with me like the Africa Twin. Wonderful engine, classy styling,...
Winter is coming! Dan gets into the nitty gritty of CBR600RR commuting life as it gets colder
30 December 2024 by
Part of my mission statement for living with Honda’s CBR600RR across 2024 was to see if it was practical enough to be used as an ‘only’ bike. In order to meet this remit, it must be usable as an...
What's life going to be like with Ducati's Hypermotard 698 Mono? I'm going single to find out
27 December 2024 by
It was back in October 2023 when I first heard about Ducati’s all new single. I’d been invited to interview Engine Director, Stefano Fantoni and during the hour-long discussion, he introduced me to...
Over 10k miles later, here are the upgrades I've made to the BMW R12 nineT that made a difference
18 December 2024 by
Despite the BMW R12 nineT being marketed as a retro cruiser, I did more than just pootle around the town… although the tick-tocking engine always made that a fun endeavour. But I wanted to rack up the...
I've ridden almost 10k miles on a Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and these are the best and worst bits
18 December 2024 by
I must admit, I really enjoy getting the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 covered in mud, and its performance on the trails has impressed me. However, that’s only half the story… I’ve rated how it fares on...
I've sent the MCN fleet Ninja 7 Hybrid back to Kawasaki thanks to a recall that said 'do not ride'
11 December 2024 by
Best laid plans… having just enjoyed the challenge of seeing whether Kawasaki’s eye-opening marketing claims were true, the firm whipped the rug out from under me with a recall. The official letter...
You don’t need an adventure bike to have an adventure, but we all knew that anyway
11 December 2024 by
With the unpredictable UK weather, I’ve learned to grasp opportunities to get out on the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX (or any of my bikes) when I can and often at short notice. And while I don’t mind riding in...
I've tried plenty of luggage options for the BMW R1300GS but this is the stuff I live with
04 December 2024 by
The human race has managed many great feats in its evolution – one of which being the power to invent ways of not having to carry all your chattels about your person while riding a motorcycle. And...
These off-road mods add £3154 to the price of a Scrambler 400 X and they're worth every penny!
04 December 2024 by
My last few updates have centred around the Triumph Scrambler 400 X’s viability as a genuine off-road option, and this is the end of that journey. Having taken the stock bike greenlaning I felt...
Here's why I've forgotten big performance numbers to focus on fun with the Yamaha XSR900 GP
02 December 2024 by
Last time we spoke, I’d moulded the Yamaha XSR900 GP into a bike that’s more manageable over distances, but it still needed a little more edge in the corners. Step one? A set of Pirelli Diablo Rosso...
I covered 1025 miles in 24hrs on a Pan America to link the ancestral homes of Harley and Davidson
27 November 2024 by
It’s 4am on a chilly Sunday morning and I’m standing in a dark layby on an unlit dual carriageway staring into a void of inky blackness. There’s not a single vehicle going in either direction, and the...
12 hours and 445 miles for cauliflower is a perfectly normal excuse for a ride on the Africa Twin AS
20 November 2024 by
It’s the thin end of the wedge, but late October can still throw up a good riding day. This one happened to coincide with an unexpectedly skivable day in an otherwise punishing work schedule. So,...
I've ridden over 15k miles on a KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo and as an all-rounder it’s tough to beat
20 November 2024 by
My KTM continues to impress in ways I’d never imagined. Sure, it does all the things you’d expect: it’s rapid, loves skids, wheelies, stoppies and hooning around racetracks. I love all that, but I...
I took my mum for a Honda CBR600RR pillion ride and here's what she thought of the experience
13 November 2024 by
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the Honda CBR600RR is a focused, rider-centric machine. And yet, over the last 5000 miles, it has proven to be a frugal filtering dream – demolishing big...
What I learned from spending a summer riding the Ducati Monster SP - and what I'm trading it for...
13 November 2024 by
It’s been a roaring good summer with the Ducati Monster SP, but now it’s time to release it back into the wild to make way for a Bolognese bike with a slightly different beat, but more on that...
Can my Himalayan keep up with a KTM 690 Enduro off road? Of course not, but I got there in the end
06 November 2024 by
Recording an off-road special for MCN’s YouTube channel presented a unique challenge: capturing two seasoned riders on focused KTM 690 Enduros tackling a slimy and flooded Salisbury Plain landscape.
I rode a BMW R12 nineT thousands of miles through Europe to get to Motorrad Days in Garmisch
06 November 2024 by
Earlier this year, I decided to take the BMW R12 nineT home to the Motorrad Days festival in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I’ve done a big feature on the journey for the print edition of MCN, but I thought...
Marketing fact check: Is a Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid really faster off the line than a ZX-10R?
01 November 2024 by
Kawasaki make some bold claims for their Ninja 7 Hybrid and Z7 Hybrid twins. The firm reckon that the ‘strong hybrid’ system in these 650-sized bikes offers “the instant acceleration of a 1000cc-class...
I've made 'big improvements' to the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX with two simple upgrades - and so should you
30 October 2024 by
Why is it that manufacturers go to great lengths to design and build bikes, yet seem to forget some of the most important points? The biggest bugbear has to be tyres, with manufacturers opting for...